Perhaps I'm an cockeyed optimist, but like any other investment ecosystem, with peaks and valleys come winner and losers. 

But above all- network with your local ecosystem of investors. 

Yes, EcoSystems is a great property management company.

I spent my 20s and most of the 30s working in the customer support ecosystem, and the last 6 of those as a people manager. 

They seem to have taken the Apple 'ecosystem' model and applied it to notes.

I know that as an investor I'm supposed to want higher rents, but what we all really need for long term success is a healthy balanced eco-system of housing providers and housing buyers/renters.

How is the entrepreneurial eco-system?

As far as licensing goes you don't need one I started getting mine over COVID (Still taking the course) it helps greatly for learning the terminology and how the real estate ecosystem works but comes with certain disclosure and legal requirements if you go for full licensure.  

It's a little subset of the person's ecosystem that they bring directly to you.

That will likely change because the money will follow to the good deal flow, but Austin still has a long way to go to rival Boston, SV, or other major tech centers for the whole ecosystem.